Compliance Updates
Brace Yourselves: Curaçao’s New Gambling Law Is at the Door!
Curaçao is approaching the finishing line of their online gambling reform, with the new law being sent to the parliament. Markus Björk at Slotsoo has been in touch with both the Ministry of Finance and several Curaçao operators to find out how they feel about this big change. Do European license providers have a reason to feel threatened by Curaçao casinos 2.0?
LOK Now Just Waiting for Parliament Approval
On December 19th, Curaçao’s Ministry of Finance informed that the new law has been officially submitted to the parliament. The National Ordinance for Games of Chance, commonly referred to as LOK (Landsverordening op de kansspelen), is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2024.
Finance Minister Javier Silvania, the front figure of the reform, shares his excitement about this historical moment:
“We are very happy to reach this final stage. The submission of the LOK to Parliament is not just a procedural step, but a leap towards transformative progress.”
No More Master Licenses or Middle Men
The current setup of the Curaçao casino license is very unique, with four master license holders being in charge of giving licenses to individual casino operators and ensuring their compliance to the regulations.
This has resulted in big quality differences, and if you were to ask ten EU players how they feel about Curaçao casinos you would get very varied replies. Another critique with the current system is that most of the financial gain goes to the four master license holders, while the island of Curaçao is left with light pockets.
LOK will put an end to master licenses and middle men and require all licenses to be applied directly from Curaçao’s Gaming Control Board. This means more uniformed quality and better control. The new law will also require gambling companies to have physical presence on the island, creating new job opportunities for the locals.
The Curaçao casinos we interviewed all welcome the new setup. Spinwise (Tsars Casino) sees some hurdles, but says it will be worth it in the long run:
“The prohibition of sublicensing by master licensees introduces a new financial dynamic for individual companies, albeit with associated fees. While adaptation to the new framework may pose short-term challenges, the long-term benefits are expected to outweigh these initial obstacles.”
The Curaçao License Will Remain Tax Free
- No tax on winnings
- No restrictions on player nationality
- Strong regulatory framework
Keeping the Balance Is Crucial for Success
Finance Minister Javier Silvania shares that they had a very inclusive approach when drafting the new law. They consulted all the stakeholders to make sure LOK will consider different perspectives and not just serve one group. The country of Curaçao, its citizens, the gambling industry, and the players should all benefit from the reform.
Many license jurisdictions that go through a re-regulation fall into the trap of legislating too much, without the government listening to the industry or the players enough. This leads to fewer license holders and lower channelization rates, as both the operators and the players search for more attractive solutions from other countries.
We wish Curaçao good luck with their new start in 2024!
Compliance Updates
574 Slot Machines, Bingo Halls and Online Betting Modules were Destroyed by Coljuegos
The Illegal Operations Control Department destroyed 574 gambling items that had been seized because they were operating without authorization in departments such as Cundinamarca, Atlántico, Valle del Cauca, among others, and which stopped transferring around $63.545 million to the health system.
“The destroyed items were valued at around $169 million and belonged to criminal structures that were dedicated to operating games of chance and luck without authorization and without paying the respective monopoly rents,” said Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos.
Among the destroyed items were electronic slot machines, bingo chairs, roulette wheels, poker tables, Keno and online betting modules, each of them composed of computers, CPUs, televisions, ticket machines, among others.
“In total, we have completed 7,934 destroyed items, valued at more than $1.5 billion. Due to these illegal activities, the health system has lost more than $200 billion in recent years, resources that would have allowed us to serve more Colombians under the subsidized regime,” said the president of the entity.
Hincapié also said that in the coming days, Coljuegos will continue destroying another 117 electronic slot machines, 350 bingo elements (chairs, tables and boards), 8 poker tables and 252 sports betting modules.
“Never before has an administration attacked illegality in the industry so strongly. We are doing this at the behest of our president Gustavo Petro, who has always asked us to fight corruption and to decisively strike the mafias that operate unauthorized games in various regions of the country,” said Hincapié.
It is worth mentioning that illegal gambling organizations in Colombia are failing to pay the State around $1.5 billion annually for exploitation rights, resources that could be allocated to the health of low-income citizens.
Compliance Updates
GAMING POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE – NOTIFICATION OF SEATS WITH TERMS EXPIRING DECEMBER 31, 2024
The Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) is a ten-member committee established pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 19817 to provide advisory recommendations to the California Gambling Control Commission (Commission). Its membership, as appointed by the Commission, includes equal part appointments from the public as well as the cardroom industry.
The GPAC has the following five highlighted seats that have a term limit ending on December 31, 2024.
PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES:
Category A: An employee from the Bureau of Gambling Control (BGC), Department of Justice (1 seat)
Category B: A representative from an agency or nonprofit concerned with problem gambling and/or gambling addiction (1 seat)
Category F: A representative affiliated with local law enforcement from a local government where an approved ordinance allows legalized gaming (1 seat)
Category G: A professional with an accounting or business background and not currently affiliated with a California legalized gambling entity (1 seat)
Category H: A general member-at-large not currently affiliated with any California legalized gambling entity (1 seat)
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES:
Category C: A licensee, agent, or employee from a Third-Party Provider of Proposition Player Services (1 seat)
Category D: A licensee, agent, or employee from an actively licensed cardroom with 25 tables or more in operation (2 seats; 1 seat vacant ¹)
Category E: A licensee, agent, or employee from an actively licensed cardroom with less than 25 tables in operation (2 seats; 1 seat vacant)
The Commission is currently accepting applications through November 1, 2024, from all eligible applicants for the GPAC seats in the following categories: C, D1, E1, G¹ and H.
The GPAC Application and Selection Process can be found on the Commission’s website at www.cgcc.ca.gov. Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Interviews will be scheduled shortly after the application deadline (mid-November).
GPAC’s mission is:
The Commission is currently accepting applications through November 1, 2024, from all eligible applicants for the GPAC seats in the following categories: C, D1, E1, G¹ and H.
The GPAC Application and Selection Process can be found on the Commission’s website at www.cgcc.ca.gov. Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Interviews will be scheduled shortly after the application deadline (mid-November).
GPAC’s mission is:
“Provide advisory recommendations to the California Gambling Control Commission concerning matters of controlled gaming regulatory policy and other relevant gambling related issues, with special attention to guaranteeing the integrity of gambling operations and to deal effectively with problem gambling.”
The GPAC currently meets every eight weeks. GPAC meetings will be held via Zoom through the end of 2025 whereupon meetings will have to be a combination of in person and via Zoom. Audio recordings of previous meetings can be found on the Commission’s website.
The GPAC is an asset when addressing matters of importance for the cardroom industry. GET INVOLVED, whether through attending the GPAC’s public meetings, submitting an application for consideration of appointment to the GPAC, or by simply sending in comments for the GPAC’s consideration and discussion via the email address below.
“Provide advisory recommendations to the California Gambling Control Commission concerning matters of controlled gaming regulatory policy and other relevant gambling related issues, with special attention to guaranteeing the integrity of gambling operations and to deal effectively with problem gambling.”
The GPAC currently meets every eight weeks. GPAC meetings will be held via Zoom through the end of 2025 whereupon meetings will have to be a combination of in person and via Zoom. Audio recordings of previous meetings can be found on the Commission’s website.
The GPAC is an asset when addressing matters of importance for the cardroom industry.
Compliance Updates
GiG grows regulated market footprint with new B2B supplier authorisation for Peru
Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has been awarded an authorisation and registration (homologation) for Peru, officially allowing it to partner with operators based in the newly regulated Latin American market, as GiG continues to grow its regulated market presence with over 29 complex regulated markets now available globally, on its revolutionary iGaming technology.
The accreditation process, which opened its doors earlier this year, marks an early entry for GiG that will allow it to serve a market expected to grow post regulation by up to 104%, up from €194m to €397m, in gross gaming revenue (GGR) over the next three years, according to H2 Gambling Data.
This new authorisation from the Peruvian authority, granted to GiG by Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo de Perú (MINCETUR) , and covers its award winning PAM, as GiG continues a long-standing commitment to regulated market expansion, reaffirming’s its position as a global leader for growth in highly regulated markets.
GiG’s Peruvian presence gained prominence with the announcement of the launch of Betsson Group’s Inkabet brand, in July, expanding on the successful partnership between the two, in regulated markets around the world.
GiG is continuing to expand its presence in global regulated markets, and across Latin America, with its innovative iGaming platform, as its powerful, secure, and scalable platform offers operators significant opportunities for exponential revenue growth, with a suite of dynamic localisation features. Peruvian operators will benefit from GiG’s integration with leading content and payment providers, with advanced AI tools, DataX and LogicX, enhancing decision-making and rule-building processes. This balance of cutting-edge tools and best-in-class features have proven highly effective in increasing player acquisition and retention, highlighting GiG’s competitive edge in complex regulatory environments like Peru.
Claudio Caruana, General Counsel for GiG says; “The addition of the Peruvian authorisation to our ever expanding list of supported regulated markets continues to demonstrate the focus we at GiG have placed on legislation, providing the framework essential for sustainable and prosperous growth within the online igaming industry. We are delighted to be fully prepared to power new and potential partners with our award winning technology in the area.”
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